Viscosimeter



May 2, 1939. c. R. STEWART VI 8005 IMETER Filed Sept. 26, 1958 Patented Ma 2, 1939 'VISCOSIMETER.

Clifford R. Stewart, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Faber Laboratories, Inc., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application September 26, 1938, Serial 1 To. 231,726

4 Claims.

This invention' relates to improvements in viscosimeters.

An object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of relative simple and durable construction 5 which can be easily and quickly employed to obtain a measurement of the viscosity of a sample of liquid or semi-liquid.

By means of the improved viscosimeter a measurement or. figure is obtained representative of the sample and of the cumulative effects of fluidity, weight, cohesion, adhesion, contamination, and oiliness. In most prior devices designed to measure the viscosity of a sample of liquid or semi-liquid, it is necessary that any foreign substances be filtered out of the sample before a satisfactory reading of the device may be obtained. Consequently, with the use of such devices the reading obtained for a contaminated liquid is unable to include the effect of the contaminating substance on the viscosity of the sample tested.

An important advantage of the present construction is that a satisfactory reading may be obtained even though the liquid that is being tested is contaminated, such as for example carbon in oil. By the present construction the sample does not have to be filtered but is tested in its contaminated condition so that the reading obtained includes the effect of the contaminating substance on the resultant viscosity.

Another object of the invention is to provide a viscosimeter which will require only a small quantity of liquid or semi-liquid in order to make a test or determination of its viscosity and which may be operated at room temperatures or any desired temperature thereabove.

Another object of the invention is to provide a viscosimeter which will enable successive readings of a given sample to be easily and quickly obtained for purposes of averaging the results of the reading. By the use of the present construction it is unnecessary to clean the apparatus between consecutive readings or tests but the same sample may be used over and over again without cleaning to obtain a multiplicity of readings if desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a viscosimeter which is of simple design yet which readily permits of the obtaining highly accurate readings or measurements representative of the viscosity of samples to be tested.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be made manifest in the following detailed description and specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference is had to the accompanying drawing for an illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of the improved viscosimeter;

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section taken substantially upon the line 2-2 upon Fig. 1 in the direction indicated; and

Fig. 3 is a partial view in vertical section taken substantially upon the line 3-3 upon Fig. 2-.

Referring to the accompanying drawing where-' in similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout, the improved viscosimeter comprises a small metal table it of suitable size and shape preferably supported on leveling screws H. In the top surface of this table there is formed a central well l2 designed to receive a receptacle i3 flanged as at M and preferably equipped with a handle 55. Within the table there are disposed suitable heating electric ele-,. ments is which may be connected through an adjustable rheostat to a suitable source of electric current. The rheostat may be of any conventional construction and is shown as being adjustable by means of a knob or handle II. By adjusting the rheostat the heating elements It may be caused to heat the receptacle l3 and itsco'ntents to any desired temperature at which it is desired to obtain a reading. The temperature may be measured by means of a thermometer l8 inserted into a thermometer well in the end of the table so as to have its bulb positioned rather closely to the receptacle H3. The reference it indicates a telltale lens behind which there may be a small filament or electric light to indicate whether or not the electric circuit through the heating element It is closed.

A body Zll is provided which enters and largely occupies the receptacle l3. This body is preferably formed of metal and has a vertical central bore 2i formed therein. The bottom surface of the body is preferably coned out as indicatedat 22 with the apex of the cone arranged at the bottom of the bore. The upper end of the bore 2! communicates with the bottom of a coned out receptacle 23, the edge of which is indicated at 24 and outwardly of this edge the body is tapered o1 beveled off as indicated at 25. The body 20 is equipped with a bale 26 by means of which it maybe suspended from a chain or equivalent flexible element indicated at 21 which is-trained over a grooved wheel or pulley 28 mounted for free rotation on bearings 29 mounted on a standard 3|! arranged at the back of the table. The opposite end of the chain or flexible element 21 is connected to a counterweight receptacle 3| designed to contain shot, mercury, or other weighting substance in an amount slightly in excess of the weight of body it. A clamp 32 is mounted on top of the wheel or pulley 28 so as to be arranged preferably directly over the bearings 29 when the bottom of the body 20 is at the bottom of the receptacle 83. This clamp serves to hold the chain or flexible element 27 against shift and also provides some weight which is effective to operate in conjunction with the counterweight when the device is in operation.

A brake arm 33 is pivoted as at 3% on the standard and carries a pointed projection 35 adapted to enter the groove on the wheel or pulley-28 to hold the wheel or pulley against rotation. This brake arm is frictionally held in any adjusted position. By swinging the brake arm downwardly the wheel or pulley 28 is disengaged and is free to be rotated by the effect of the counterweight. Rotation of the wheel or pulley 28 under the influence of the counterweight is limited by stop t'i which is engageable with standard 30.

The manner in which a sample is tested is as follows: A sample of liquid is placed in receptacle l3 and it may be permitted to remain at room temperature or it may receive heat conducted thereto by the table top and receptacle from the heating elements. The body 20 is then forced into the receptacle over the sample of liquid therein. The liquid is to some extent displaced by the body 20 and is forced upwardly through bore 2! into receptacle 23. It is also forced upwardly in the slight clearance 36 between the exterior of the body and the walls of the receptacle. There should be sufficient liquid present so that the receptacle 23 will be completely filled and will overflow over the rim or edge 26.

The brake 33 is held in engagement with the wheel or pulley 28 until the overflowing liquid has overflowed completely and the rim or edge 2d becomes readily visible through the sample. In this manner by forcing the body 20 to the bottom of the receptacle, causing the liquid to flow up through bore 2i and to overflow the rim or edge 26, uniform conditions are obtained in testing various samples, of liquid for their viscosity.

When the rim or edge 2d becomes readily visible the brake 33 is then swung downwardly to release the wheel or pulley 28. The time required for the counterweight in receptacle ti to lift or move the body 20 any predetermined distance or to any predetermined position is then carefully noted with a stop-watch. Usually the time is noted which elapses between the release of the brake and the time that the body it emerges from thFliquid, although it will be understood that any other limits for elapsed time may be selected. This time is the reading obtained from the viscosimeter which is indicative or representative of the sample tested. The weight of the clamp 82 tends to cooperate with the counterweight in lifting body 29 as soon as this clamp is moved ofi center. While this clamp does assist in lifting body 20, its eflect is uniform on all samples tested.

The amount of clearance between the body and the walls of the receptacle and the diameter of the bore 2! may vary on diiferent instruments, and when there is variation, the instrument must of course be calibrated against a master viscosimeter or fluid and corrections made in the readings obtained. A suitable clearance, however, is fifteen thousandths' of an inch and likeis again released and a succeeding reading obtained. Thus, a multiplicity of readings may be quickly obtained with the same sample without cleaning the instrument in order to obtain an average of all readings for the sample.

It will also be noted that it is not required that the sample of liquid tested be free of any contaminating or foreign substance. The contaminating substance may remainin the sample and when the reading is obtained, the effect thereof is included. The reading obtained which is the time required for the counterweight to lift the body out of the receptacle under the conditions present is indicative of the cumulative result of the following factors: Fluidity of the liquid, the weight of the liquid, the cohesion of the liquid, the adhesion of the liquid, the effect of any contaminating or foreign substance in the liquid and the oiliness of the liquid.

In order to convert the reading obtained to a corresponding reading on other conventional types of viscosity measuring devices, it is merely required to develop a close calibration scale for any particular instrument. This scale will vary somewhat, depending upon the extent to which 3 and accurately. The reading obtained is a true indication of the viscosity of the sample asit exists in the condition in which it is desired to test it for its viscosity. In other words, no special preparation, such as filtering, is required to obtain the reading indicative of the viscosity on this device.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A viscosimeter comprising means providing a receptacle adapted to contain a sample to be tested, a body adapted to be positioned in the receptacle and to flt therein with a small clearance having a passage therethrough communicating with a receptacle in said'body, and means for imposing a predetermined force tending to lift the body from said receptacle.

2. A viscosimeter comprising a body having a bore therethrough terminating at its upper end in a receptacle of predetermined capacity, means,

8. A viscosimeter comprising means providing,-

a receptacle, means for heating the receptacle.

and determining the temperature thereof, a body adapted to largely flll the receptacle having a bore therethrough terminating at its upper end in a receptacle of predetermined capacity, and means for applying a predetermined lifting force to the body.

4. A viscosimeter comprising means providing a receptacle, means for heating the receptacle and determining the temperature thereof, a body adapted to largely fill the receptacle having 8.

tion of the pulley.

bore therethrough terminating at its upper end in a receptacle of predetermined capacity, means for applying a predetermined lifting force to the body comprising a counterweight, a flexible element connecting the counterweight to the body,

a pulley over which the flexible element is trained,

and brake means for releasing or stopping rota- CIJFFORD R. STEWART. 

